June 29, 2006

Shukto

Last week, I opened my mail and there was my first recipe request. Preeti, my friend in Germany, wanted me to post shukto recipe. Shukto is a traditional Bengali dish, usually eaten as a first course. I think it is the perfect dish encapsulating all tastes described in ayurveda. What gives it its unique taste is the medley of vegetables cooked together. It always has bittergourd, eggplant, plantain and then you can add the seasonal vegetables.

My own relationship with this dish has changed over the years. I remember not liking it when I was a child, but my taste changed as I grew up.

Making shukto involved a call to my mom in India. She gave me my maternal grandmom's recipe. Here goes:

Method:Saute the bittergourd, eggplant and potatoes separately.Soak the posto and 1/2 tspoon mustard in warm water for an hour. After draining it, make a paste of posto, mustard and ginger.Heat oil in a pan, temper it with mustard seeds and green chillis.Add in the vegetables one by one. Mix it all together, close the lid and let it steam.After about 10 minutes, add half of the paste, turmeric and salt. Add 1/4 cup water if it is too dry.Cook on medium low flame for another 10-15 minutes.Add the rest of the paste, sugar and milk and let it cook for 5 minutes.Serve hot with rice.

Thank you for the recipe, i am always looking for diverse vegetable preparations. Adding khas khas to vegetables was knew to me till last week when i used it with potatoes, and loved it. Will try this one out for sure.

DurgaYes, I made that recently as well. Will post my recipe soon. This blog is also helping me rediscover some of the recipes which I love and learn how to cook them!I still want to try your lau ghonto:)

I am a shukto lover also my husband. Living in U.K. I cook once or twice a week. Everything is okay in your shukto recipe except putting 2 green chillies. In Shukto turmeric is also not used or if used only a pinch and never should be any chillies. In Bengali nursery rhymes, it is said, "chhie chhie Rani randhtey shekheni, mashima key boley jholey mashla debo ki? ... Shuktani tey jhaal diyechhey, amboleytey ghee." this translates.. (Shame to Rani(imaginary little girl) who does not know how to cook curry and puts chillies in Shuko and Ghee in chutney).Putting chillies in Shukto and ghee in chutney are definiteley prohibited and if some one does that it means she/he does not know cooking at all.from Poppy

Poppy - Thanks for sharing the verse and your recipe. This is great to know. I use a pinch of turmeric in shukto and also green chillis. I need a little spice in my food and I like the taste of green chillis in shukto. Will try cooking without the green chillis and let you know how it turns out. Thanks for visiting.

Hi Mandira, I went through your reply to my comment and found out that the fundamental rule of shukto recipe is called by you 'your recipe'. Not true please. There are few recipes which have some fundamental rules dear. You can not call rice kheer a kheer by making it bitter or spicy. Poppy

I think even I have the habit of putting chillies in every savoury dish I cook.I just love the way you have elaborated the recipe.I'll definitely try it out and that too with chillies:o))....even if it goes against the bengali nursery rhyme!!

Hello and welcome to Ahaar. We have been cooking and posting recipes for more than 6 years now. I love to hear from you, all your comments and feedback. Please keep it coming. I will also try to answer any questions you have in the comments.